At least four children are among the 61 people confirmed as dead in devastating forest fires in Portugal, it has emerged.One of the youngsters was named as four-year-old Rodrigo Rosario killed with his uncle after their car was engulfed by flames on a country road – near the famous university city of Coimbra.Rodrigo Rosario, four, was killed with his uncle after their car was engulfed by flamesHis parents Ana Cardita Rosario and Belchior Nuno pictured were enjoying their honeymoon in Cape Verde when the tragedy happenedRodrigo Rosario (pictured) is one of four children among 61 people confirmed deadA wildfire in Portugal has left 62 dead and more than 50 others injured
His uncle Sidel Belchior, 37, was reportedly looking after the Lisbon-born boy while his newly-married parents Ana Cardita Rosario and Belchior Nuno were enjoying their honeymoon in Cape Verde.
Rodrigo’s grandmother broke down in tears as she told a Portuguese TV crew rescuers had found his charred body by the car.
The other children are believed to include a four-year-old girl known only as Bianca said to have died as she fled with a relative and two youngsters aged five and six thought to have died in their car after they were trapped.The devastating fire quickly spread after beginning in the village of Escalos FundeirosA fire engine parked on the edge of the forest infernoAt least 25 killed in Portuguese forest fire s northeast of Lisbon
Interior ministry official Jorge Gomes said 59 people died from burns and suffocation, while two others were killed in a traffic accident related to the fires.
Four firefighters are understood to be among 54 people who have been injured.
Of the civilians injured, ten are reported to be “serious.”
Portugal’s prime minister Prime Minister Antonio Costa called the tragedy “the worst loss of human life we’ve known in recent years”.
Survivors told last night how they pulled the young and elderly from their homes in dramatic rescues before trying to reach safety themselves.A scorched five-seater car on the road between Figueiro dos Vinhos and Castanheira de Pera, Pedrogao GrandeA refrigerated truck arrives to transport the burnt bodies of the dead from the carFires broke out in near Pedrógão Grande, Portugal
Ana Morada, one of 200 people who spent the night at a makeshift shelter at a local football club, said: “It was horrible. I had my grandma on the phone surrounded by flames and begging me for help.
“I managed to contact a relative who got her out. I saw neighbours running from their cars that were burning. The only firm in the area has burnt to the ground. It’s a catastrophe.”
Susana Antunes fought back tears as she told Portuguese newspaper Jornal de Noticias: “We lost our car but fortunately my family and I are all okay.
“Everything went up to flames in 15 minutes. My grandparents had to run out of their house barefoot.”
Maria de Fatima Nunes, who suffered burn injuries, told a TV interviewer: “It was real hell. I thought it was the end of the world. I didn’t think I was going to escape. I thought I was going to die.
“Burning pine trees were crashing down on top of cars. It was horrible.”692 firefighters were deployed to battle the blaze and at least four were injuredOne emergency serviceman battles the enormous flames with a hoseOfficials said 16 died after being trapped in their cars
It was earlier reported that 62 lives had been lost, but this was lowered after one victim was found to have been counted twice.
Many of those who lost their lives inside their vehicles were trapped on the road linking the villages of Figueiro dos Vinhos and Castanheira de Pera.
Distressing footage broadcast on Portuguese TV showed a woman being led away by her house, visibly upset and being given water to drink to save her from collapsing as she cried out “my house, my house” against a backdrop of thick smoke and flames.
Another graphic image showed a woman sat by the side of the road with her head in her hands as rescuers around her led other people to safety.
The devastating wildfire began just before 3pm on Saturday in the village of Escalos Fundeiros.
Its rapid spread led to the deployment of nearly 500 firefighters.
Local town hall chief Valdemar Alves, speaking shortly before the death toll was made official, said there were villages which were “completely surrounded by flames and in great danger.”A Spanish firefighting aircraft dumps water over the burning forest this morningA firefighter rests on top of a fire combat truckOne woman was pictured being comforted on the side of a roadFirefighters rest during a wildfire at Penela, Coimbra
Insisting the number of firefighters on the ground was insufficient for the scale of the problem, he added: “It’s impossible to reach all villages.
“We’re doing everything we can to see if we can mobilise fire crews from Lisbon.”
Scores of locals are understood to have been asked to leave their homes.
Government ministers said today the fires were still being fought on four fronts, with crosswinds threatening to make the job of the hundreds of firefighters tackling the flames even more difficult.
Firefighters from Spain were drafted in to help crews from other parts of Portugal trying to bring the fires under control.
The government announced three days of mourning, staring from 6pm today as the scale of the tragedy unfolded.
Police ruled out arson and blamed the fires on “natural causes.”
The cause of the fire was not immediately made clear.
Policia Judiciaria national director Almeida Rodrigues said: “The PJ, together with the GNR police force, have managed to establish the origin of the fire and it’s all clearly pointing towards natural causes.
“We’ve even found a tree that was struck by lightning.”

Title : HIGHWAY TO HELL! 61 confirmed killed with many burned to death in their cars, more than 50 injured in Portugal wildfire.Description : At least four children are among the 61 people confirmed as dead in devastating forest fires in Portugal, it has emerged. One of the you...Rating : 5

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